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A Week for Women at the White House

Last week was a very busy one here at the White House. A busy week working on behalf of women!

On Tuesday, the White House hosted a roundtable discussion to honor the 37th Anniversary of Title IX and discuss the future of the legislation. The round table discussion was moderated by Valerie Jarrett, and attended by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Billie Jean King, star athletes, scientists, and scholars. Read the press release below and watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqLeg7eunsA.

Friday, Vice President Biden and Valerie Jarrett announced the appointment of the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. We are thrilled to have Lynn Rosenthal joining the Administration to work on such an important issue. Please read the Vice President’s remarks below and watch the press conference here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6TS1zWuTI.

Saturday was National HIV Testing Day and President Obama urged Americans to take control of their own health – and protect those they love – by getting tested for HIV and working to reduce HIV transmission. Please read the attached statement by the President and watch a message from him here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/GetTested.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary________________________________________________________________________FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2009

Today, on the 37th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and an all-star line-up of women athletes and scientists will hold a roundtable discussion on that key legislation. Participants include Billie Jean King and Dominique Dawes, and 30 local high school aged girls will be in the audience along with several professional athletes and well-known Title IX advocates.

The roundtable will be streamed live on the web both at WhiteHouse.gov/live, and as part of an innovative Facebook application that allows users to both watch the live-stream and be part of an online chat about the roundtable simultaneously. The roundtable will be kept up to date during the event on the comments and questions coming in through the chat, which will take place at this address: http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive/. Non-facebook users can also submit their comments and questions at a special comment form that the White House will be monitoring during the event at the standard live-stream address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/.

"Title IX represents a major advance not just for women, but for all Americans and for higher education," said Jarrett, who serves as chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls. "I'm especially proud of our efforts to encourage women to pursue their aspirations in fields in which they have been historically underrepresented such as science and technology. The Obama Administration is working closely with all government agencies to understand how we can elevate issues related to girls in this country. Title IX is integral to that effort and that is why it is so fitting know that any girl can be ready to discover our next cure to cancer, win the next triathlon or become President of the United States."

"The Administration continues striving to remove the obstacle of gender discrimination and increase access to college and careers for students," said Secretary Duncan. "The White House Council on Women and Girls and many Title IX advocacy groups play an extremely important role in ensuring fairness and access to education. This work is absolutely critical for the success of our students and for the competitive future of our nation."

Today’s event honors the work of Title IX advocates over the last four decades and demonstrates the Obama Administration’s commitment to Title IX. Title IX, is the landmark legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it be in academics or athletics. The law enacted on June 23, 1972 states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

Background on today’s roundtable:

Roundtable Participants:Valerie Jarrett – Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and GirlsSecretary Arne Duncan – Secretary of EducationRusslynn Ali – Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Department of EducationDr. Joyce Winterton - Assistant Administrator for Education at NASABillie Jean King –Tennis champion and civil rights advocateMarcia Greenberger – President of the National Women's Law CenterDominique Dawes – Former President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, OlympianJessica Mendoza - Current President of the Women’s Sports FoundationShirley Malcolm - Head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs American Association for the Advancement of Science

Office of the Vice President_____________________________________________________________________For Immediate Release June 26, 2009

Vice President Biden Announces Appointment of White House Advisoron Violence Against Women

Washington, DC – Vice President Biden, the author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, announced today the appointment of Lynn Rosenthal as the new White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. Ms. Rosenthal is one of the nation’s foremost experts in domestic violence policy, and has worked at the local, state and national levels to create an environment where violence against women is not ignored and perpetrators are held accountable. This is a newly created position at the White House, dedicated specifically to advising the President and Vice President on domestic violence and sexual assault issues.

"My proudest legislative achievement in the Senate was passing the Violence Against Women Act. We’ve made great strides since its passage – shining a light on an all too silent issue and reducing violence against women in significant numbers. But we have to do more," said Vice President Biden. "That’s why we’re here today – to do more. It’s an honor to announce the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, Lynn Rosenthal. Lynn is passionate about these issues and knows them backwards and forwards. And as a former director of a shelter, she’s also seen the human face of this tragic problem. She will be a leader in this White House in stopping the violence and sexual assault of women and will be an integral part of this Administration."

"Lynn Rosenthal has been a life-long advocate for women and she has been a real leader in developing effective policies to combat domestic violence," said Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement. "She will be a tremendous asset to the President, Vice President and the entire Administration as we continue the battle against domestic violence and sexual assault."

Ms. Rosenthal’s areas of domestic violence expertise include housing, state and local coordinated community response, federal policy on violence against women, and survivor-centered advocacy. She most recently served as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

From 2000-2006, Rosenthal served as the Executive Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) where she represented 54 state and territorial coalitions whose collective membership included more than 2000 local domestic violence programs. She played a major advocacy role in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2000 and 2005 and has assisted states and local communities with implementation of this groundbreaking federal legislation. She also worked closely with corporate partners to bring millions of dollars to local communities to respond to domestic violence. She partnered with The Allstate Foundation to develop a highly successful national initiative to promote economic empowerment for survivors of violence. Prior to her service at NNEDV, Rosenthal was director of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence where she developed innovative service models for rural and legal services. On her return to Florida in 2006, Rosenthal developed the state’s first comprehensive plan to help survivors of violence find housing.

"President Obama and Vice President Biden could not have named a more qualified, visionary leader to advise the White House on violence against women," said Sue Else, President of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. "Lynn Rosenthal is a pioneer in the movement against domestic abuse and sexual assault. Her expertise will help to shape federal policies that will serve countless survivors of domestic and sexual violence."

In this new position, Ms. Rosenthal will serve as an advisor to the President and Vice President on domestic violence and sexual assault issues; be a liaison to the domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy community; coordinate with the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) on implementation of Violence Against Women Act programs; coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services on implementation of Family Violence Prevention Act services (including the National Domestic Violence Hotline); coordinate with the State Department and USAID on global domestic violence initiatives; and drive the development new initiatives and policy aimed at combating domestic violence and sexual assault with advocacy groups and members of Congress.

Ms. Rosenthal has been widely recognized for her efforts to address domestic violence at the national, state and local levels. In 1999, she received the Florida Governor’s Peace at Home Award for making a difference in the lives of battered women and their children. In 2005, Doris Buffet’s National Sunshine Lady Foundation honored her for her work on the Violence Against Women Act. In 2006, she was the first recipient of the Sheila Wellstone Institute National Advocacy Award.